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1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
1st (Buckinghamshire) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry were a territorial unit based in Aylesbury, serving with South Midland Brigade, South Midland Division. The units had just departed for their annual summer camp when war broke out in August 1914 and they were at once recalled. They mobilised for war service on 5th of August and moved to concentrate in the Chelmsford area by the second week of August and commenced training. They proceeded to France from Folkestone, landing at Bologne on the 31st of March 1915. The Division had concentrated near Cassel. On the 15th of May the formation was renamed 145th Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division. In 1916 They were in action in the Battle of the Somme, suffering hevy casualties on the 1st of July in assaulting the Quadrilateral (Heidenkopf). They were also in action at The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, capturing Ovillers, The Battle of Pozieres Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights and The Battle of the Ancre. In 1917 the Division occupied Peronne during the The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line and were in action in the Third Battles of Ypres. On the 21st of November 1917 they entrained for Italy. In 1918 they were involved in The fighting on the Asiago Plateau and The Battle of the Vittoria Veneto in the Val d'Assa area. At the Armistice the Division had withdrawn and was at Granezza. Demobilisation began in early 1919.
23rd Nov 1914 Procession
25th Jan 1915 Swift Reinforcements 
6th Jul 1915 Football Match
A Palatial Residence
28th Mar 1916 On the Move
1st October 1917 Details completing musketry
2nd October 1917 Training
3rd October 1917 Training
4th October 1917 Took over camp
5th October 1917 Training
8th October 1917 Route March
9th October 1917 Escort Turkish Prisoners
11th October 1917 Stokes Mortar school
12th October 1917 Company Training
13th October 1917 Battalion attack training
14th October 1917 Kit reductions.
15th October 1917 Rifles Exchanged
16th October 1917 Rest camp
17th October 1917 On the Move
18th October 1917 On the March
19th October 1917 On the March
20th October 1917 Camp duties
22nd October 1917 Routh March
23rd October 1917 Training and fatigues
24th October 1917 Training
25th October 1917 Training
26th October 1917 Attack Practice
27th October 1917 Lewis Guns
29th October 1917 Took over station Guard
30th October 1917 Fatigues
1st November 1917 Escorts, Guards and Fatigues.
3rd November 1917 Outbreak
7th November 1917 Outbreak
8th November 1917 Postings
10th November 1917 Death
11th November 1917 From hospital
12th November 1917 Relieved as duty Battalion.
13th November 1917 Training
14th November 1917 Officers recconaisance
15th November 1917 Training
18th November 1917 Officer rejoins
19th November 1917 London Gazette of 17th September 1917
23rd November 1917 Change of M.O.
25th November 1917 84 O.R. rejoined
26th November 1917 Relief
27th November 1917 Hospital admission
28th November 1917 Field Firing
29th November 1917 Scout training
30th November 1917 Serious Disease report
30th November 1917 Strength
1st December 1917 Guards, fatigues, escorts, blockade posts
3rd December 1917 More training.
5th December 1917 Brigade Lectures.
6th December 1917 Lewis Gun field firing.
9th December 1917 Reinforcements to 50th Brigade M.G.C.
10th December 1917 1 Arab shot during night..
11th December 1917 Div. Office assignment
12th December 1917 Work parties on railway.
13th December 1917 Work parties on railway.
14th December 1917 Work parties on railway.
15th December 1917 More Arabs shot.
17th December 1917 Relieved as duty Battalion
18th December 1917 Work parties on railway.
20th December 1917 No work.
21st December 1917 Small Pox vaccinations.
22nd December 1917 Railhead reached Falluja
23rd December 1917 Christmas week.
26th December 1917 Route Marching.
27th December 1917 Fatigues
31st December 1917 Fatigues
1st January 1918 Multiple instruction classes
2nd January 1918 Fatigues & training
3rd January 1918 Divisional Hot Bath's.
4th January 1918 Some training.
5th January 1918 Fatigues & training
6th January 1918 Washing etc
7th January 1918 Reliefs
8th January 1918 Fatigues & some training.
10th January 1918 Brigade Exercise.
11th January 1918 Fatigues
12th January 1918 Fatigues
13th January 1918 Church
14th January 1918 Fatigues & Training.
15th January 1918 Brigade Exercise
16th January 1918 Fatigues
20th January 1918 Lewis Gun mules drawn from S.T.
22nd January 1918 Reliefs
23rd January 1918 Fatigues & training.
25th January 1918 Battalion route march
26th January 1918 Battalion route march for all not marching on the 25th
27th January 1918 Church, washing etc.
28th January 1918 Fatigues & training.
29th January 1918 Route march 15 Miles.
30th January 1918 Preparing for move to Madhij
31st January 1918 Move postponed
1st February 1918 Submitted claim for 1914 Bronze Star
2nd February 1918 Left Falluja.
3rd February 1918 left Dhibban
4th February 1918 12 men daily to work in gardens. Training continued.
6th February 1918 Training & Fatigues.
7th February 1918 Battalion route march
8th February 1918 Coy. Training.
10th February 1918 Church
11th February 1918 Training & Fatigues
13th February 1918 Exercise night advance in open country
14th February 1918 Reinforcement for Bde. Stokes Mortar Battery
15th February 1918 Practiced night deployment by day
16th February 1918 Exercise, advance & deployment for digging at night
17th February 1918 Church
18th February 1918 Training & Fatigues
20th February 1918 Orders received. Bde. to move to Ramadi
21st February 1918 Left Madhij at 0800 hours
22nd February 1918 Field Drawing
22nd February 1918 0900 hours. Left for Khan abu Rayat
23rd February 1918 Dug aircraft bombardment shelters
24th February 1918 Orders
24th February 1918 Abu Rayat Move to UQBAH
25th February 1918 Situation
25th February 1918 Bombed by Turkish plane
26th February 1918 Reconnaissance towards HIT
27th February 1918 Enemy message intercepted
27th February 1918 Rest
28th February 1918 Recce
28th February 1918 Fatigues and training
1st March 1918 Battalion training in the attack.
2nd March 1918 Musketry
3rd March 1918 Road making
6th March 1918 Drill
7th March 1918 Road making
8th March 1918 Drill
9th March 1918 Advance to HIT.
10th March 1918 Washing
11th March 1918 Moved to Sahiliya
12th March 1918 Anti aircraft shelter made
13th March 1918 Defences of camp dug
14th March 1918 Battalion route march
15th March 1918 2nd/Lt. J.S. Fenwick appointed on probabtion to Indian Army
16th March 1918 Road making
19th March 1918 Road making and Fatigues
20th March 1918 Fatigues
21st March 1918 Fatigues on roads and defensive positions.
22nd March 1918 Air and agents report whole of enemy force still in Khan Bagdadi neighbourhood.
23rd March 1918 Fatigues
24th March 1918 Fatigues for Divisional supplies.
24th March 1918 Secret. GC 651 Headquarters 15th Division.
25th March 1918 Fatigues
25th March 1918 Andrews Group Order No. 1.
25th March 1918 BM/1046 Precis air recco.
25th March 1918 BM/1937 16th Div. wire GC 564 of 24th
26th March 1918 Battle advance
27th March 1918 Rested and watered from pools in Wadi Hauran.
28th March 1918 Salvaging
30th March 1918 Moved Upstream
31st March 1918 Church
1st April 1918 Standing camp of Sahilya
2nd April 1918 Company training
3rd April 1918 Brookings Column Special Order
3rd April 1918 Bad weather
4th April 1918 Fatigues
5th April 1918 Company Training
6th April 1918 Battalion drill.
7th April 1918 Washing
8th April 1918 Battalion fatigues
9th April 1918 Route march
10th April 1918 Company Training
11th April 1918 Road Fatigues.
12th April 1918 2nd/Lt. E.G. Vine to Bde. H.Q. to relieve Staff Captain
13th April 1918 Battalion drill.
14th April 1918 2nd leave party left
15th April 1918 tracer bullets now issued for the first time for anti-aircraft use.
16th April 1918 Rock quarrying.
17th April 1918 3rd leave party
18th April 1918 Lt. T.P. Williams rejoined
19th April 1918 Fatigues on roads
20th April 1918 Lt. Col. G.E. Whittall rejoined
21st April 1918 Washing etc
22nd April 1918 Escorts to convoys.
23rd April 1918 1 platoon left to prepare site for Summer Camp
24th April 1918 4th leave party started.
25th April 1918 Company training:
26th April 1918 Company training:
27th April 1918 Company training:
28th April 1918 Leave party.
29th April 1918 1 platoon rejoined
30th April 1918 Defensive positions
1st May 1918 Defensive positions
2nd May 1918 Leave party.
3rd May 1918 Defences
4th May 1918 Church Parade
5th May 1918 Defensive Position
6th May 1918 Positions
8th May 1918 Construction
9th May 1918 Small box respirator drill.
10th May 1918 Contact with enemy
11th May 1918 Prisoner
12th May 1918 Contact with Turkish Cavalry patrol
13th May 1918 Column returned to camp at Sahilya
14th May 1918 Working on the position
15th May 1918 Leave party
16th May 1918 Work on the position.
17th May 1918 Work day.
18th May 1918 Newman Anti A.C. mounting for Lewis Gun issued
19th May 1918 Church Parade
20th May 1918 Coy. parades.
21st May 1918 Mentioned in dispatches.
22nd May 1918 Parades
23rd May 1918 Work on the position
24th May 1918 Empire Day.
25th May 1918 Small box respirators issued
26th May 1918 Washing & Bathing
27th May 1918 Work hours changed
28th May 1918 Battalion drill parade.
29th May 1918 9th Leave party.
30th May 1918 Work on the position.
31st May 1918 Very little training done this month
1st June 1918 Major C. Fitzgerald took command of the battalion
2nd June 1918 Washing
3rd June 1918 TAB Innoculations.
4th June 1918 10th leave party
5th June 1918 Bitchumen lined water tanks
6th June 1918 9212 Pte S. Taylor qualified as cook.
7th June 1918 Work detail
8th June 1918 Washing
9th June 1918 Firing on the range
11th June 1918 Firing on the range
12th June 1918 Firing on the range
13th June 1918 11th leave party
14th June 1918 Two Officers to platoon commanders school
16th June 1918 Rejoined
17th June 1918 Field training.
18th June 1918 Work on water supply.
19th June 1918 1 Officer & 1 NCO to L.G. school Ramadi.
20th June 1918 12th leave party
21st June 1918 Work on the position & the range.
22nd June 1918 Secret. G 1117.
22nd June 1918 Operation Order No. 1.
22nd June 1918 Raid on enemy Cavalry at Khan Bagdadi
23rd June 1918 Our Cavalry had taken 1 Officer & 16 TOR.
24th June 1918 Musketry Practices
24th June 1918 Total march about 30 miles
25th June 1918 2nd Coy. struck off for musketry.
26th June 1918 13th and last leave party.
27th June 1918 "B" Coy. dispatched to be Demonstration platoon
28th June 1918 Work on positions
30th June 1918 Some training of "specialists"
1st July 1918 Return from Commanders school
2nd July 1918 "C" Coy. Musketry
4th July 1918 Capt. Price to Bagdad.
5th July 1918 Night firing with Lewis Guns.
6th July 1918 Capt. Meade from Bagdad.
9th July 1918 "D" Coy. struck off for Musketry
12th July 1918 Capt.B.W. Tittering to Bde.
15th July 1918 No.1 & 2 leave
16th July 1918 No.3 leave party
18th July 1918 Lt. W.G. Bacon to course in Bagdad.
23rd July 1918 Lt. H.B. Boyce admitted to hospital
25th July 1918 Rejoined from leave
26th July 1918 Cholera inoculations.
31st July 1918 Strength
3rd August 1918 Capt. Rance rejoined
4th August 1918 Lt. A.VLt. A.V. Smith rejoined. Smith rejoined
9th August 1918 Platoon Officers and Sgt's. completed their course
12th August 1918 Lt. T.R. Milford rejoined
13th August 1918 71 BOR's. rejoined.
14th August 1918 Battalion manned defensive positions
16th August 1918 Lt. D.S. Northcote rejoined
17th August 1918 Finished firing their course
19th August 1918 Officers to schools.
20th August 1918 Blacksmith's trade test.
21st August 1918 Course
22nd August 1918 Regimental Gas Officer came up with a supply of Lachrymatory gas
23rd August 1918 Finished firing course
24th August 1918 Lt. Col. G.E. Whittal rejoined
26th August 1918 "B" Coy. through Gas Chamber
28th August 1918 "D" Coy. through Gas Chamber.
29th August 1918 Lewis Gun classes completed.
31st August 1918 Gargling has been done twice daily to prevent Influenza
7th September 1918 Lt. E.G. Vine to L.G. School.
8th September 1918 Lt. C.M. Banks returned
12th September 1918 2nd/Lt. H.C. Adams returned
13th September 1918 Returned from Platoon Commanders Course.
18th September 1918 A/Capt. H.W. Bleeze rejoined
21st September 1918 Lt. H.V. Steele rejoined
22nd September 1918 Training as instructors to Indian Regiments.
25th September 1918 Lt. T.R. Milford left for Egypt
26th September 1918 Capt. W. Rance to Infantry School
27th September 1918 2nd/Lt. P.J. Andrews to India.
29th September 1918 Demonstration Platoon returned
30th September 1918 General holiday
1st November 1918 Turkish Armistice.
2nd November 1918 Holidays
8th November 1918 2nd/Lt. D.J.L. Lethbridge joined from India.
9th November 1918 Work in camp making cookhouses etc
11th November 1918 German Armistice signed.
12th November 1918 Holiday to celebrate our winning the war.
13th November 1918 Holiday to celebrate signing of Armistice.
16th November 1918 9 BOR. sent to Poona
17th November 1918 ( End of War )
18th November 1918 "Popham Panel" See "https://gregswar.com/tag/popham-panel/"
21st November 1918 Boots of "A" Coy. inspected.
26th November 1918 Personnel to Salonica.
27th November 1918 'The War: It's cause and effect'.
28th November 1918 Lecture on 'Demobilisation'
30th November 1918 Strength
30th November 1918 Appendix 1.
30th November 1918 Appendix 2.
2nd December 1918 Work on roads.
3rd December 1918 New signalling class
4th December 1918 Road work
5th December 1918 Training
6th December 1918 Scheme for defence of Bridgehead
7th December 1918 Training
9th December 1918 Lt. L.J. Rock joined
10th December 1918 Lt. T.T. Molony ( 1/4th Dorset ) joined
12th December 1918 19 BOR's to England on leave.
17th December 1918 practice attack on a hostile machine gun nest.
25th December 1918 Holiday Christmas week.
25th December 1918 Return from Babylon.
26th December 1918 demobilisations
28th December 1918 Ramadi week.
31st December 1918 21483 Sgt. Smallwood awarded M.S.M.
1st January 1919 Last day of Christmas holidays.
2nd January 1919 area rifle meeting on the 6th January.
8th January 1919 Returned from visiting Babylon.
10th January 1919 Coal miners, group 3 left for demobilisation.
12th January 1919 Rifle meeting
14th January 1919 Platoon marching competition
16th January 1919 More demobilisation's
17th January 1919 2nd/Lt. C.H. Murray rejoined
24th January 1919 Demobilisation of priority industrial groups ( 1, 2, 10, 22, 30, 33 & 35 )
26th January 1919 Brick making ceased on 25th Jaunuary.
31st January 1919 Strength
31st January 1919 General Health
31st January 1919 Appendix 1.
31st January 1919 Appendix 2.
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Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a
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Pte. Christopher Handel Dyke 1st Btn. Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.6th Apr 1916) Son of Edward and Annie Brooks Dyke, of Playing Close, Charlbury, Oxon.
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Pte. John Henry Harvey DCM. 1st Btn. Sherwood Foresters (d.17th Nov 1918) John Harvey is remembered on the Basra Memorial. He was serving attached to the 1st Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry when he was killed. He was the son of Allen Harvey of 43, Oxford Street, Highbury Vale, Bulwell, Nottingham and husband of A. R. Harvey of Bhoiguda, Secunderabad, India.
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Sgt. Harry Kemmis 1st Btn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.22nd Nov 1915) Harry Kemmis is my Great Grandfather, he was Irish born and served in the British Army during WW1 in the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He was stationed in India at Wellington Barracks where my Grandmother was born. He was sent to Mesopotamia and was killed during the Battle of Ctesiphon on 22nd of November 1915.
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L/Cpl. Archibald Millman 1st Garrison Btn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.25th October 1918) Lance Corporal Millman was the son of George James and Emma Millman, of 71 Springfield Rd., Cotham, Avon.
He was 23 when he died and is buried in the middle of the Ramandrug Cemetery in India.
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Pte. George Holbrook 1st Garrison Btn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.30th August 1918) Private Holbrook was the son of John and Hannah Holbrook, of 19 Norton Rd., Pelsall, W. Midlands.
He was 26 when he died and is buried in the middle of the Ramandrug Cemetery in India.
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